WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Marking the fiftieth anniversary of its Manton Research Center, the Clark Art Institute presents the opportunity to see a selection of prints, drawings, and photographs acquired between 1973 and 2023. 

 

"50 Years and Forward: Works on Paper Acquisitions opens on Dec. 16, 2023 and is on view through March 10, 2024 in the Clark Center. The exhibition features several recent acquisitions as well as other works never previously shown at the Clark.

 

"The Manton Research Center is the home of the Clark’s works on paper collection, said Olivier Meslay, Hardymon Director of the Clark. "As we mark the Manton building’s golden anniversary, this seemed like a perfect moment to reflect on how the collection has grown and changed over the last half-century. With more than 6,500 works on paper in a total collection of 10,500 objects, it’s important to remind our community of how central works on paper are to the core of the Clark’s collecting activities. These prints, drawings, watercolors, and photographs are essential to our ability to share important stories and to expand our understanding and interpretation of different periods in the history of art."

 

"50 Years and Forward offers a remarkable occasion to look back at a half-century’s worth of acquisitions but it also gives us the opportunity to consider the breadth of the collection today," said Anne Leonard, Manton Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs. "Our most recent acquisitions show a continued commitment to areas of strength, like master drawings, but they also venture into areas well beyond the original vision of Sterling and Francine Clark." 

 

A companion exhibition, "50 Years and Forward: British Prints and Drawings Acquisitions," is on view in the Eugene V. Thaw Gallery, located in the Manton Research Center, through Feb. 11, 2024.